Pumpernickel Biscuits are light and fluffy but packed with earthy flavor from rye and molasses ~ plus a secret ingredient that takes them over the top!
On those soup for dinner nights, I have to have something carb-y on the side ~ and biscuits are my go-to because they’re so quick to throw together. These pumpernickel biscuits turned a simple chowder into a feast: light and fluffy with the hearty flavor of rye and molasses. It’s the easiest way I know to make an everyday soup night feel a little special.
Pumpernickel is a hearty German rye bread
It’s made with dark rye flour with a rich deep brown color and an earthy flavor, it’s one of the most distinctive breads in the world.
pumpernickel biscuits ingredient notes
rye + all-purpose flour blend: I used half rye flour and half all purpose to maintain a light texture. With that blend you’re getting the best of both worlds ~ a light fluffy biscuit with a rich old world flavor. Don’t expect sky high pumpernickel biscuits: rye’s gluten doesn’t trap gas as effectively as wheat gluten, so the structure can’t “hold” the same vertical lift. Instead, the rise spreads out more sideways. Your pumpernickel biscuits will be deliciously moist and soft, but a bit squat.
molasses: this is everything! It gives that rich caramel flavor with a hint of sweetness.
unsweetened dark cocoa powder: it’s in here for the rich color plus flavor enhancement. You won’t taste cocoa as such, it just adds a little depth and mystery to the flavor profile.
caraway seeds: the seeds of a plant in the parsley family with aromatic, licorice-like notes. Caraway seeds aren’t a must in traditional German pumpernickel, but they’ve become a classic add-in.
buttermilk/cream/half and half: I make these biscuits with any of these, they will all work. When I use cream or half and half I add a splash of lemon juice for added acidity.
food processor biscuit method
- Pulse dry ingredients in your processor to combine.
- Add cold butter, in pieces, and pulse/process until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is like coarse sand.
- Add the liquid ingredients and pulse/process until the moist dough comes together in a lump.
They look chocolatey, don’t they? But don’t be fooled, these pumpernickel biscuits are hearty and savory. Try them out for Thanksgiving and holiday meals, or for Sunday dinners when you want to switch out your regular dinner rolls.
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Pumpernickel Biscuits
Equipment
- food processor optional
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dark rye flour
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp dark cocoa powder, I like Hershey’s Special Dark
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 12 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
- 1 cup cold buttermilk, or cream mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
- 2 Tbsp molasses
- 1 Tbsp butter, melted
- caraway seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425F and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir together the buttermilk and molasses and set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse to combine the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add in the pieces of cold butter, pulse/process the machine until the butter is incorporated and the mixture has a sandy texture.
- Add the liquids to the machine and pulse/process just until the mixture comes together into a lump. It will be a bit rough around the edges. This should take 30 seconds or less.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and bring the dough together with your hands into a flat disk.
- Pat or roll out to a disk about 8 inches round. Use a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter to cut out 7 or 8 biscuits. You will need to reform the dough once to cut them all out.
- Set the biscuits on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and put in the refrigerator while you clean up. This will re-chill the butter for a better texture.
- Bake for about 15 minutes until risen and golden.
- Brush with a little melted butter and sprinkle with caraway seeds.
- These biscuits are best when they are still warm. You can refresh a leftover biscuit in the microwave ~ on high for 15 seconds.
Notes
Nutrition
what to serve with pumpernickel biscuits
Is it 12 tbs or 1.5 cups? 1.5 cups is 3 sticks or 24 TBS? Making this with your fish soup!
Hi Krista ~ that’s 12 Tbsp, or 1 1/2 sticks of butter, I just clarified, hope you enjoy them and it sounds like a really great meal!
Love the pumpernickel biscuits. I modified a little, going only with the rye flour. After kneading, I rolled to 1/4″ thin, folded and rolled, folded and rolled again, then cut the biscuit rounds before baking. Served for breakfast with a fried tomato slice, slice of avocado, and fresh mozzarella topped with Hollandaise.
Excellent!
Thanks for the ideas!
Thanks for the report back Mike! I was just thinking about these biscuits because I’m working on a Finnish salmon soup and thought these would be perfect with it 🙂
I love pumpernickle bread. It’s almost impossible to find rye flour here, found it once and made pumpernickle bread. I found a recipe that calls for prune juice, strange right? But it gave the bread a great flavor, and I don’t even like prune juice. I wish amazon shipped here, but they do not. I’ve been ordering and sending to my daughters house to bring things back, and I have a long wishlist for my last minute orders!
So many flours are still so hard to find…I’ve never heard of the prune juice idea, might have to give that one a try 🙂
Mm, these look great! I adore the flavor profile of a good rye bread, especially with the molasses and caraway seeds. Great idea to put them into a biscuit!
They look incredible! I love that you ‘re able to get away with no yeast on these! And I need to break down for Amazon Prime for all the reasons you said – always in need of something ‘specialty’ and sick of trying to track it down and driving all over!
I never use yeast in biscuits, and even with whole grains they always seem to turn out great. All that butter probably helps 🙂
they look so full and rich and satisfying. I would love to have a few right now with my iced coffee!
I’m hooked on the soup and biscuit combination for dinner…it hits the spot…now if it would only cool down about 30 degrees!
I bet these are completely satisfying – and love the hearty, rustic look. A biscuit is always a good choice and this sounds perfect combined with soups, stews or your beautiful chowder!
Thanks Tricia! I’ve got a collection of unusual flours going, so I’ll be making more along these lines this fall.
I can think of quite a few winter soups that would pair so beautifully with these biscuits, Sue! Borchst comes to mind immediately! I also can’t wait to see what the addition of the cocoa powder does! I’m always looking for more ways to use my Dutch processed cocoa powder!
Cheers!
I hadn’t thought of borscht, but you’re right! I am doing a post later this month with a friend who’s helping me make his mother’s borscht recipe, I will make these to go with it.
Yes borscht sounds great with these!
These look delicious. I just discovered your blog. Your photography is wonderful and I want to make so many of your recipes!
Rose
Thanks Rose — and welcome!
and these make it almost GF I think.
Rye flour is very low in gluten or something, I can’t remember.
Glad to see your comments are back, they were down for me on the nutella cake.
Weird right?
I didn’t know rye was gluten free, that’s good to know. Sorry about the comments, I didn’t know there was a problem, sheesh!
Rye flour isn’t gluten-free — it contains gluten, just not as much as regular wheat flour (and not enough to stand on it’s own in most cases, which is why it gets mixed (usually 50/50 or 60/40), with wheat flour).
Well not entirely gluten free, but still! I grind my own rye flour and make Danish rye bread, that really can’t be purchased. Is there a source for darker rye and what is it called? Thanks.
I also adore this daily present of yours to my daily mailbox and forget to let you know. I also have a Danish contributor who you would adore. I do. Ill list it in another post!
Aww thanks Kirsten for making my day! You can check online for dark rye flour, I think I get mine from Bob’s Red Mill.